AAI To Educate Through Awareness Week

According to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,
full-time college students aged 18-22 are more likely than
those not enrolled full time to use alcohol, binge drink
and drink heavily.

Among these, 62.4 percent have consumed at least one drink
in the past 30 days; 43.4 percent have participated in “binge” drinking,
consuming at least five drinks on the same occasion; and
18.6 percent have fallen into the “heavy use” category,
binge drinking at least five different days in the past month.
These figures are based on a report that was revised as of
September 2005.

In recognition of statistics such as these, SHSU’s
Alcohol Abuse Initiative will host a variety of events and
speakers in conjunction with National Collegiate Alcohol
Awareness Week, beginning Monday (Oct. 17) with a demonstration
of how drinking impairs one’s vision and a discussion
on designated drivers.

“
Seeing Between the Lines” will give students “fatal
vision,” showing them how alcohol affects their vision
at different blood alcohol concentrations, according to Student
Health Center programming coordinator Michelle Lovering.

Students will don the beer goggles and be asked by AAI members
and volunteers to perform various tasks, such as walking
a straight line or tossing around balls, on both Monday and
Thursday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Lowman Student
Center Mall Area.

“While an individual is intoxicated, their cognitive abilities are also
impaired so they may not realize how impaired their vision actually is,” Lovering
said. “Hopefully, the Fatal Vision exercises will demonstrate to students
that if they cannot walk a straight line while they are sober, how are they to
drive in a straight line while under the influence of alcohol.”

That afternoon, from 2-3 p.m. in LSC Room 320, Lovering will present facts and
lead a discussion on drinking and driving, why people choose to do so and what
can be done to reduce incidences at “Some-One for the Road.”

“
Many times, being the designated driver or "DD" is not seen as the ‘cool’ thing
to do, so (we will discuss) how can we change this perception,” Lovering
said.

This discussion could also lead to further programming in the future.

“
In the past, students have expressed strong support for a designated driver program,” she
said. “We're still exploring this possibility, but there are many program
models currently being used by other universities. We would like to gather more
thoughts on what the students would like to have here.”

Tuesday, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., AAI will dispel myths about cultural differences
in alcohol consumption through Jeopardy-like games and quizzes with “Drinking
Around the World,” in the LSC Mall Area.

“
One very common misperception that students have about other countries is that
they have lower legal drinking ages, and they don't have alcohol problems,” Lovering
said, “when in fact, research from the Center for Alcohol Marketing to
Youth demonstrates that not only do youth in European countries have higher levels
of alcohol consumption, but they also have higher levels of intoxication.”

Also that afternoon, interim Dean of Students John Yarabeck and Jason Warren,
chief investigator and coordinator of judicial programs, will discuss alcohol
policies on campus, including what you can be kicked out for and reasons parents
can be notified, with “Drinking at SHSU,” from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in
the LSC Theater.

Drinking games will be the topic of Wednesday’s (Oct. 19) LSC Mall Area
demonstration, held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with “From Quarters to Kings,” which
will include quizzes and other activities to inform students of the dangers of
participating in those games.

From 1-2 p.m. in the LSC Theater, two assistant attorneys from the Walker County
DA’s office will tell students how alcohol offenses can hit their wallets
from the Texas law side with “Firewater Under Fire.”

“Several new laws went into effect Sept. 1 dealing with alcohol,” said
AAI member Rosanne Keathley. “They are also going to talk about what the
difference is between a DUI (driving under the influence), public intoxication,
DWI (driving while intoxicated) and the different levels of offense now, because
when you get three DWIs now, or a DUI and two DWIs, it is a different level;
you go up a notch.”

“
People don’t know what the new penalties are, and it could be kind of eye
opening for them, with the new fines,” Lovering said.

Thursday will begin with a display and discussion about alcohol consumption at
sporting events and sport-oriented advertising with “Sports, Media and
Alcohol,” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the LSC Mall Area.

Counseling psychologists with the Counseling Center Trey Charrier and Beth Charrier
will talk about lowered inhibitions and interferences with decision-making under
the influence with “Risque Business: Alcohol, Sex and Drugs,” from
4-5 p.m. in the LSC Theater.

“They are going to be talking about the role alcohol and drugs play in
acquaintance rape, unprotected sex, refusal skills, dating violence, rape in
general, and also talk about date rape drugs,” Keathley said.

Finally, awareness week will wrap up with a look into the role that contemporary
pop culture plays in “glamorizing excessive drinking and high-risk behaviors” by
award-winning media critics with the video “Spin the Bottle: Sex, Lies
and Alcohol.”

Students will also be encouraged to share personal experiences with drinking
and what influenced their actions. Popcorn will be provided at the event, which
will be held from 2-4 p.m. in the LSC Ballroom.

With this year’s awareness week, Lovering said AAI tried to host events
that covered a wide variety of alcohol-related issues and hit on those they hadn’t
in the past.

“
Overall, we’re trying to better educate them about the dangers of excessive
alcohol consumption and irresponsible behaviors that come as a result of excessive
alcohol consumption,” she said.
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For more information on any of these events, visit the AAI Web site at www.shsu.edu/aai/events.